Railway searchlight tower



u. CUMMINGS. BMLWAY SE ARCHLIGHT'TOWER. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20, 1919.

1 109,834.- Patented Mar-14,1922.

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E D. CUMMINGS. R'AILWAY SEARCHLIGHT TOWER. APPLICATION men FEB. 20,1919.

Patented Mar. 14,1922

7 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

E. D. CUMMINGS. RAILWAY SEARCHLIGHT TOWER. APPLICATION HLED mi. 20. 199.

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22 4 wuwtoz Patented Mar. 14, 1922.

E. n. CUMMINGS. RAILWAY SEARCHLIGHT TOWER.

APPLKIATION FILED FEB. 20, l9l9. 1,409,834.

E. 0. CUMMINGS. HMLWAY SEARCHLIGHT'TOWER. APPLICATION HLE D FEB. 20;I919- 1,409,834, Patented Mar. 14, 1922.

7 SHEETS-SHEET a.

E. 0. CUMMINGS. RAILWAY SEARCHLIGHT TOWER. APPLICATION FILED l EB. 20.1919.

Patented Mitr- 14, 1922.

TSHEETS-SHEET I.

' locked PA ENT OFFICE.

ELMORE D. CUMMINGS, WASH INQ TON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

RAILWAY SEARCHLIGHT TOWER.

Specification of ietters Patent.

Patented Mar. 14, 1922.

Application filed February 20, 1919. Serial No. 278,310.

(FILED UNDER THE ACT OF MARCH 3, 1883, 22 STAT. L, 625.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that. I Enron]: D. CUM- a resident of Vashington District ofColumbia have invented an Improvement in Railway SearchlightTowers ofwhichthe following is a specification. H

The invention described here1n may be .nsed by the Government, or any ofits ofiiicersv or employees in prosecution of workior the Government, orby any other person in the United States without payment of any royaltthereon.

The subject ofthis invention is a railway Searchlight tower designed foruse on theseacoast though adapted for. employment in any locality inwhich a searchlight may be advantageously operated.

The invention aims to provide a searchlight tower, which may betransported from place to place, and which may be lowered when not inuse and when being transported.

The main object of the invention is the provision of a Searchlightplatform which will remain in parallelism with the tower base or carfloor for all positions of the tower and means for assuring such pa'allel motion of the Searchlightplatforma Another object of theinvention is the provision of means for locking the platform againstmovement when the tower is in elevated position, and of automaticallyreleased means for holding the locking means in unposition when thetower, is to be, lowered. 9 a A still further object of the invention isthe provision of meansfor permitting the operator ready access to theplatform.

It is also amongtheobjects of the invention to providemeans forsupporting the tower against lateral oscillation or swing when inelevated position.

lYith these and other objects in view, my invention consists in certainnovel details of construction combination and arrange ment of parts, tobe more specifically set forth and claimed.v

in the accompanying drawings in which tion of the equalizer;

corresponding parts are indicated by similar reference numerals MINGS; acitizen of the United States, and

.Fig. l is a view in side elevation of the assembled device, the towershown-lowered;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, a portion shownin section;

Fi 3 is a view in side elevation showing the tower raised and thetrapdoor closed; 7 Fig. tt is a view in front elevation showing thetowerelevated, the trap door open, and

a portion sectioned on the line IVIV, of

'Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view in side elevation of the base end ofthe equalizer and the tower, raising mechanism parts in section Fig. 6is an enlarged detail view of the upper end of the equalizer;

Fig. 7 is a perspective of the rope clamp; lug. 8 1s a schematic viewshowing the ac- Fig. '9 is an enlarged fragmentary view in elevation ofthe platform, and the platform Ilock; 4

Fig. 10 is a detail plan view taken on the line-X- X of Fig. 9. v

Fig. 11 is a detailplan view, partly in section,.of the holding meansfor the platform latch handle;

Fig. 12 is a detail view in elevation of the limit plate for theplatform latch;

Fig. 13 is a detailview in elevation of the catch; i

Fig. 14 is a perspective of a holding for a platform latch operatingrod;

Fig. 15 is a plan viewof the trap door with its operating cranks andlink, a frag ment of the platform being shown; I

Fig. 16 is a side elevation of the same, the position of the trap. doorwhen open indicated in dotted lines; and

Fig. 17 is a sectional view taken on the line XVII-XVII of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, a flat car indicated generally by referencenumeral 10, is provided as a transportable support for the tower andthis car is mounted on the respective front and rear trucks l1, and

plate 11', adapted for engagement with the rails 1.2 of a railway track.

The truck 11-is designed to carry a motor (not shown) by means of whichthe car may be propelled along the track. A cab 13 is provided at theforward end of-the car for the convenience of the operator of the car,and this cab is provided with a doorway to permit ingress and egress toand from the cab respectively, the doorway being closed by a door 14. r

In the cab 13, a suitable operating lever 15 is located to permitcontrol of the motor by which the car is driven and a hand wheel 16 isprovided for operating the brakesof' ends of the standards 17 and serveas journaling means for the horizontal shaft 19, which extendstransversely of the car and the ends of which project laterally beyondthe standards. The shaft 19 is encircled by retaining collars 20, 20which abut against the inner faces of the journaling blocks 18 and areclamped in position on the shaft by means of set screws 21; the purposeof the collars being to prevent rectilinearf motion of the shaft.

The tower, indicated generally by the reference numeral 22, is mountedfor swinging movement on the extending ends of the shaft 19, hubs 23being secured to side plates of the tower for the purpose of receivingthe ends of the shaft to provide a pivotal connection between the towerand the shaft.

' Thetower is preferably of skeleton construction and comprises corneruprights 24 which are connected andbraced by the cross braces 25, thebraces being joined to the corner uprights by gusset plates 26. .The

1 uprights and cross braces are preferably formed of angle bars asherein shown,

, though any convenient form of structural material may be used. 7

The tower merges at its upper end, 1nto a yoke like formation, the pairof uprights 24 at each side'of the tower converging upwardly to'form theprongsof the yoke. For the purpose of reinforcing this upper portion ofthe tower, angle bars 27 may be secured longitudinally of the uprights24, as

seen most clearly in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, and arcuate angle bars 28 aresecured to the corner uprights 24 and the cross braces 25 at the bottomof the yoke for the purpose of further strengthening the yoke.

Plates 29 are secured to the converged upper'ends to convenient crossbraces 25.

of the corner uprights 24 and those plates I are formed with hubs 30,which form journaling means for trunnions 31 carried by 36 in the upperends of which the trunnions 37 of lamp 38 are journalled.

In orderthat the platform 33 may be maintained in parallelism with thefloor of the car 10 for all positions of the tower 22, an equalizerwheel 39 is rigidly secured on the trunnion 31 at one side of theplatform and the wheel is apertured to receive suitable fastening, bywhich it is fastened to the hanger 32. The wheel 39 is grooved toreceive a rope 40, which is trained over the wheel, and which is clampedto the wheel by means of suitable rope clamps 41. The flights of therope 40 are led from the wheel 39, longitudinally of the tower-and passthrough guides 42 and 43 which are secured A second equalizer wheel 44,of the same diameter as the wheel 39, is mounted on an extending end ofthe shaft 19, between the standards 17 and the side plate of the tower,and over this wheel the rope 40 is trained. Turn buckles 45, 45 may beprovided in the flights of the rope 40 for the purpose of properlytensioning the rope. Clamps 46 embrace the rim of the wheel 44 and serveto clamp the rope '40 firmly in place in the groove of this wheel. Toretain the wheel 44 against rotation, arms 47 are bolted or otherwisesecured to the wheel at each side of the center and the depending endsof these arms rest upon the legs of the standard 17. j

While in the foregoing description the equalizer is described as havinga rope or cable40, it is to be understood that the flights between theequalizer wheels may be of rods suitably connected to the cable sectionswhich pass over the wheels. This is especially desired in tall towerswhere the platform 33 and carries the supporting arms longcable isliable to stretch or ive unduly.

For'the purpose of locking t e platform against movement when the toweris in elevated position, a latch 48 is provided and this latch hasextending laterally'therefrom, and positioned between its ends, apivoting pin 49, which is journalled in a. bearing 50 secured to a crossbrace 25 of thetower. The forward end of the latch 48 is tapered toprovide an inclined'edge 51 and adjacent this edge a notch 52 is formedin the latch. A catch 53'is bolted to a hanger '32 and an adjustmentshim 54 is interposed between the catch and the hanger 32 for thepurpose -hand igrip 59, and the extending end' of of adjustingthecatchto "proper position.

The 1 catch 53 is so placed that the inclined thereby raisin'g the latchtobring the notch "52 into 'ali-nement'with the catch.

When the tower is to be lowered it is deform will befr'ee'to'swing. Forthis purpose a rod 55 has its lower end pivotally connected at 56 to'the'latch*48,-and this ro'd'is slidable through an aperture formed inan-angle plate 58 which is connectedto a corner uprightQ-Ct. 'The u pperen'dof'the rod'55 is bent to 'form a laterally extending hand grip59-below which, when in raised position, a wing60, which is hinged tothe angleplate 58, may be swung. When this wing is=swung to the'positionjust described,

-itre'tains the handle in its elevated position andhol'ds the latchdisengaged from the catch: 53 until the' tower' -has swung to nearhorizontal position, when the plate will fall through-gravity andrelease-the rod tofree the latch to operative position. M For thepurpose of retaining the plate in rod holding position so thatit willnot automatically release','a pin 59' may be provided whichis passed'throughan aperture in the which overlies the edge ofthe plate, as seenmost clearly in Figure-9.

The rear'end of the latch 48 is bifurcated to straddle the upper endof-a rod 61, the rod andfbifurcated end being apertured torelongitudinally of the tower, preferably at that side of the towerremote from the side ing to regulate the length of the rod. The lowerend, 65, of the rod is bent to'form a hand-grip or handle 66 and the"rod, at this end, is 'slidable through the slot- 67 formed in the upperextending flange of a channel plate 68, which plate is secured to theframe work oft-he tower adjacent its base. The lower extending flange ofthe channel plate 68 is of less depth than the=upper flange and hasformed therein a notch 69, which i in vertical alinement with the slot67 of the upper flange. I v

1 rom the foregoing it will be seen that, when the rod is drawn tothe-outer end of the slot 67, the handle 66 may be drawn downwardly pastthe outeredge of the lower flange and the rod slid into the notch 69. Byreferring to Fig. 14,it will be apparent that this will retain the'rodin its lowermost position and, consequently, hold the latch disengagedfrom the catch 53. This retaining the door in ing. On that end of theshaft 78, which exzontal position. This mechanism is provided to permitthe latch to be operated from the bottom of=the tower whenever the samemaybe necessary. sirable and'nec'essary that the latch be de 'tained inunlatchedposition so that the plat- 10 To'furnish means for limitingthemove- 1116M? ofthe latch 48,11 plate 70 is secured tothe corner uprightQetbeside which the latch swings andithe edge of this plate extendsinwardly toward the latch. The extending edge of the plate is cut out topro vide the upper. and lowerprojections 71 against 'which the latchwill alternately strike in its oscillations. I

A :short angle bar 72 is secured to the frame work of the tower,adjacent the latch 48, and extendsrfor a short (listanceforwardly'ofthetower, or in a direction opposite? that of the latch. The inwardlyextending flange of the angle bar 7 2 is formed of stopping or limitingthe swing is bolted to the hanger 32 and an adjustment shin 75 isinterposed between the bumper plate and the hanger for the purpose ofproperly positioning theplate to contact {with the inwardly projectingportion 73.

V The platform 33 is provided with an opening located at one cornerthereof and a trapdoor 7 6 isprovided for normally closing this"opening. "Hinged members 77 are connected to the trap-door and to theframe work of ceive a pivoting pin-62. The rod 61extends the platform,as seen most clearly in'Figs. 15 and 16, and a shaft 78 is passedthrough the apertures of the hinge members; the shaft being journaled inthe hinge members which are connected to the frame work of the platform,while the hinge members which/are secured-to the trap-door 76 arerigidly connected to the shaft 78. A spacing collar 77. encircles theshaft 78 and is' positioned between a hinged member secured to thetrap-door and a member secured to the platform for the purpose ofretaining proper position to close the opentends beyond the corner ofthe platform, a

crank 7 8 is rigidlysecured. The crank 7 8 is tapped to receive athreaded extension 7 9 which serves to adjust the length of the crank.The outer end of the extension 79 is apertured and straddled by thebifurcated end of a link 80, which link has pivotal connection with theextension 79.

A shaft 81 is journaled in the frame work 'ofthe platform 33 and extendstransversel of the trap-door adjacent its outer edge. Que end of theshaft 81 extends beyond the side of the platform and has rigidly securedthereon a crank 82 which'has pivotal connection with the otherbifurcated end of the connecting link-'80. The upper ends of the sidebars 83 ofan extension ladder'are se- -beneath the trap-door 76 and-isheld 'in elevated position when. thetrap-door is I closed, as seen mostclearly in Fig. 16, and, when drawn to lowered positlon, through theshaft 81,cranks 82 .and 78, link and shaft 78; causes the trap-door toswing to opened position. An angle arm85 is secured to the trapdoor '1'6 and a counter-weight 86, bolted or otherwise fastened to theupstanding inember of this arm, serves to render the open- 7 anyconvenient and wellknown' manner. The lower ends of the side bars 83 ofthe "extension ladder rest, when the extension ing of the trap-doorcomparatively easy.

is in lowered position, against angle plates 87 which are carried by theupper ends of the side bars 88 .of a ladder having the spaced apartrungs 89 suitably secured between the side bars. The ladder is connectedto the frame-work of the .tower through brackets 90 and is provided topermit the attendant to ascend the tower for the purpose of operatingthelight. a

In order that the tower may be raised and lowered, suitable mechanism isprovided, which, as herein shown, consists of segmental racks 91, 91,secured at each side of the tower at its base and meshing with pinions92, fast on the ends of a horizontal shaft 93,- which extendstransversely of the tower support and is journaled in bearings 94secured tothe standards 17.. A worm gear support and housing 95 issecured to the floor of the car 10, midway between the while its forwardend .is journalled in a bearing 100 secured on a standard 101 whichrises from the floor of the car 10. The for- -wardextending end of theshaft 98 has se cu-red'thereon a crank 102 by which the shaft 0 may berotated to actuate the gearing to raise or lower the tower.

Secured to each side of the tower, at the basethereof, are pairs ofspaced apart,

laterally extending ears 103 which are adapted to receive therebetweenthe hinge members 101, which members are connected to rectangular frames105. are apertured to receive pintlesby which the frames are hingedlyconnected to the tower.

Counter-weights, preferably in the form of sections or blocks 106, arebound in place on the frames 105 by means of through threaded to engagethe internally threaded:

frames 105.

the jackrscrews may be manually" operated.

'with ears 119, extending from a toggle head supports 122-, suitablysecured to the frame The ears 103.

:bolts 107, asseen mostclearl-y in Fig. 17.

Certain of theblocks are apertured to permit the passage' therethroughof the shafts 108 of jack screws, and these shafts are bores of blocks109 which are carried by the r Hand wheels 110*are; provided on theupperends of the'shafts .108'through which The lower extending end ofeach shaft 108 isihemisphericalin formation to engage a socket formed ina. foot. '111. The foot 111 is, held in placeon the .endof'the shaft bymeans-ofa retainingcollar 112 which e'ncircles the shaft and is boundto. the foot in lugs, have pivotal connection with the respective endsofa pair of toggle links 118, the other ends ofwhich are pivotallyconnected 120 at diametrically opposite positions therea on. The togglehead 120 is apertured to receive with a sliding fit, the guide'rods 121the ends of which are secured in the work of the tower." Althreadedshaft 123 is, journaled in. the supports 122 and its threads engage withthe interior threads of the toggle head 120. The forward end of theshaft 123 extends beyond its support 122 and a chain wheel 125' is faston this extending end. A chain 126 is trained over the wheel by whichthe wheel may be manually rotated for the purpose of actuating thetoggle mechanism to swing the frames outwardly beside the car, when thetower is to be elevated, and inwardlyfupon the sup ports 116 whenthetoweris in lowered position.

Bumper standards 127 are secured to the floor of the car 10, at eachside thereof, andthese standards carry bumper blocks 128, V which areheld in a normally elevated position by the coiled compression springs129. These bumper blocks are'sojpo'sitioned as to engage the frame-workofthe tower, at either side thereof and toward the upper end of thetower, and support the tower when in lowered position, as seen mostclearly in Fig. 1. 1 Y

Plates .130 are secured at each side of the car 10 and the ends of theseplates are bent outwardly and apertured to receive, with a sliding, fit,rods 131, the forwardly projectcompression springs 132, which springsare confined. between theheads 133, formed on the forward end of therods, and, the. forward outwardly bent ends of. the plates. 130. These.devices are so positioned as to form bumpers which contact the rearedges of. the.

frames 105, whenjthe tower is swung to elevated position, and sobringthe towerv gradually to rest. 1 When in use the deviceis operatedin the following manner:

The tower being in the position shown in Fig. 1, the car is propelled tothe desired location, the pins 11s are withdrawn to free 16; the frames105 so that they be swung out wardly to each side of the car. The chain126 is then drawn. to rotate the wheel 1 25 and shaft 123 in a directionto cause. the head 12.0 totravel forwardly. This motion of the headwill, through the toggle links 118, swing the frames to the desiredpositions,

'The crank 102 is then rotated to rotate the shaft 98 which, through theworm gear, shaft 93, pinions 92; and segmental racks. 90,

will cause the tower to swing to elevated position.

During the swing of the tower from the position ofrest to thatofelevation, the platform 33 will, through the force of ra ity, ss tedbr eq z n m anism consisting of the wheels 39 and 4 1 and the rope 40,remain in a position parallel with the floor of the car 10. When the.tower has reached its positionof complete elevation the platformwillhave swung into the yoke at-the top. of the tower and the catch 53 willcontact the edge 51 of the latch and cause the latch to rise until thecatch is in alinement with the notch 52 of the latch,when the latch willfall by gravity to engage the catch. At the time that the catch has comeinto. alinement with the notch.

52, thebumper plate 74 comes into engagement with the angular projection73 of the stop 72 and prevents further swing of the platform. I

The attendant may now ascend the tower by means ofthe ladder and, whenhe has arrived at the top of the. ladder, he may rase heextsnsi n l d dthe samefdownwardlyuntil the lower ends of 7 its side bars83 restagainstthe plates 87. Thisrnov'ement of the ladder will, as here inbeforeexplained, swing the trap-door up-. wardly, in which position it will beheld by the counter-weight 86. Theattendant ay o pa p t e tension la drthrough the opening tothe platform 33 and b81111 position to operatethe Searchlight.

To prevent lateral oscillations of the tower andh a t ei k ws a op ethrough the hand wheels 110, to bring feet 111 int cont c w th he g u dr with Masks 4:, Placedgat e ch side of he-track.-

Whenthe tower is to be again lowered, the jack screws are raised throughrotation of the hand wheels 110, the trap-door is unlatched, eitherthrough operation of the rod and wing 60, or by drawing the handle 66 ofthe rod downwardly below the lower flange of the plate 68, ashereinbefore described, which leaves the platform free to swing upon itstrunnions.

The tower is then lowered by rotation of the crank 102 and, as the towerstarts toward thelowered position, the lower ends of the side bars 83 ofthe extension ladder will be drawn against the angle plates 87, causingthe shaft 81 to rock, which, through the cranks 82 and 78, will rock theshaft 78 and cause the trap-door 76 to close.

\Vhen the tower has reached its lowermost position, the chain 126 isdrawn to revolve thewheel 125 in a direction to cause the nut 120 tomove rearwardly and, through the links 118, draw the frames 105 inwardlyto rest upon the supports 116. The pins 114 may then be inserted inplace to lock the frames upon the support.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new is: I v i 1. Arailway tower, comprising in combination a support, a tower pivoted atits base to the support, and operable to horizontal and verticalpositions, a platform pivoted to the upper end of the tower, means forretaining the platform in parallelism withthe support for all positionsof the tower, including rotatable members affixed to the pivots of thetower and platform and a connection between said members and mechanismfor automaticallylocking the platform parallel with the support as thetower attains its maximum elevation, such means comprising a keeperprojecting from the platform and a latch connecting therewith andpivoted' to the support.

2. Arailway tower, comprising in combination a support, a tower pivotedat its base to the support, and operable to horizontal and verticalpositions, a platform pivoted to the upper end of the tower, means forre taining the platform in parallelism with the support for allpositions of the tower, embracing. interconnected rotatable membersaffixedfo the pivots of platform and tower, mechanism forautomaticallylocking the platform parallel with the support as the towerattains its maximum elevation, includ ing a keeper aflixed to theplatform and a latch plate pivoted to the tower and adapted to engagethe keeper, said plate being formed at its outer end to enable itselevation by the keeper asthe platform reaches a horizontal position.

3. Ara-ilway searchlight tower comprising in combination a support, atower pivoted at its base to the support and operable to horizontal andvertic al positions, a platform pivvation, including a keeper projectingfrom the platform and a latch plate pivoted to the support and having aseat to receive the keeper, the forward end of the plate being beveledto enable its elevation prior to seating of the keeper.

4. A railway tower, comprising in combi nation a transportable support,a tower pivoted at its base to the support and operable to horizontaland vertical positions, a platform pivoted in the upper end of thesupport,

fmeans for retaining the platform in parallelism with the support forall positions of the tower, embracing interconnected rotatable partsaffixedto the pivots of the tower and platform, mechanism for auto-'matically locking the platform parallel with the support as the towerattains its maximum elevation, including a keeper secured to theplatform at its edge, a latch plate pivoted to the tower and formed witha seat to receive the keeper, theforward lower edge of the latch platebeing beveled to enable elevation of the plate prior to seating of thekeeper.

5. A railway tower, comprising in combination a transportable support, atower pivoted at its base to the support and operable to horizontal andVertical positions, a platform pivoted in the upper end .of the tower,means for retaining the platform in par allelism with the support forall poistions of the tower, embracing interconnected rotatable membersaflixed to the pivots of tower and platform, a mechanism forautomatically locking the platform parallel with the support as thetower attains its maximum elevation, comprising a keeper a-fixed to theedge of the platform and a latch plate piv oted to the tower and formedwith a seat to receive the keeper, and means permitting manual operationof the latch plate from the platform embodying an operating rodconnected with the latch plate and extending to a point adjacent theupper end of the-tower.

6. A railway searclilighttower, compris ing incombination atransportable support, a tower pivoted at its base to the support andoperable to horizontal and vertical po sitions, a platform pivoted inthe upper end of the tower, means for retaining the platform inparallelism with the support for all positions of the tower embracingintercon-v nected rotatable members aflixed to the pivots of the towerand platform, a mechanism for automatically locking the platformparallel with the support as the tower attains its maximum elevation,including a keeper affixed to the platform and a latch plate pivoted tothe tower and formed with a seat to receive the keeper and means topermit man-I ual operation of the latch plate for either platform orsupport embodying operating rods connected to the extremities of thelatch plate and extending to points contiguous the top and bottom of thetower.

7. A railway Searchlight tower, comprising in combination atransportable support, a tower pivoted'at its base to the support andoperable to horizontal and vertical positions, a platform pivoted in theupper end to the tower, means for retaining the platform in parallelismwith the support for all positions of the tower, embracinginterconnected rotatable members affixed to the pivots of tower andplatform, a mechanism for automatically locking the platform parallelwith the support as the tower attains its maximum elevation, comprisinga keeper carried by the platform'and a latch plate pivoted'to the tower,and means for effecting releasement of the latch plate from the platformand-support comprising operating" rods connecting with the extremitiesof the latch plate and extending to points on the tower adjacent to ithe top and bottom thereof. I

8. A railway Searchlight tower, comprising in combination atransportable support, a tower pivoted at its base to the support andoperable to horizontal and vertical-'posi tions, a platform pivoted inthe upper end of the support, means for retaining the platform inparallelism with the support for all positions of the tower embracinginterconnected rotatable members affixed to the pivotsof the tower andplatform, a mechanism for automatically locking the platform parallelwith'the s'upportas the tower attains its maximum elevation, comprisinga keeper carried by the platform-and a latchplat'e' pivoted to the towerand formed with a seat to receive the keeper and means for effectingreleasement of the latch plate comprising an operating rod connected tothe latch plate and extending to a point contiguous theupper end of thetower, and gravity controlled means coacting with the ope-rating rod toretain the latch plate in elevated position;

9. A railway searchlight tower, comprisso i - ing in combination atransportable support,

pivoted to the tower and formed with a seat to receive the keeper, meansto effect manual releasement of the latch plate, comprising an operatingrod connected to the latch plate and extending to a point contiguous theup per end of the tower and a retaining plate cooperating with the rodto engage the latter and retain the latch plate in elevated position,said rod being mounted for gravity releasement when the platform attainsahorizontal position.

10. A railway searchlight tower, comprising in combination a support, atower pivoted to the support and operable to horizontal and verticalpositions, counterweighted frames horizontally connected at their upperextremities to the base of the tower and at opposite sides thereof, avertically movable member mounted central of the tower and adjacent itsbase, connections between said member and the counterweighted frames andmeans for actuating said member to effect lateral actuation of theframes for the purpose of supporting the tower against transverseoscillations when it is in an elevated position.

11. A- railway searchlight tower comprising in combination a support, atower pivoted at its base to the support and operable to horizontal andvertical positions, counterweighted frames horizontally connected inopposed relations to the lower end of the tower, vertical guides mountedon the tower adjacent its lower end, a toggle head slidably positionedon the guides, links con necting the toggle head with thecounterweighted frames and means to vertically actuate said toggle headto place the frames in divergent relation when the tower is in elevatedposition, and in substantial parallelism when the tower is in itslowered position.

ELMORE D. CUMMINGS.

